Near field communcation device

• US 8,116,682 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tang-Hsien Chang
• Original Assignee: Tang-Hsien Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Tang-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US12/585,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/558, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a near field communication device containing a ZigBee communication module circuit linking with a Bluetooth communication module. A ZigBee module is equipped with a master central processing unit (CPU) to identify N-Fi communication protocol and enable wireless communication. The master CPU is connected with a communication chip to transmit or receive packets, and includes a ZigBee memory to store the packets temporarily. Besides, the master CPU is linked with a signal conversion/transmission circuit to enable internal exchange of information packets with the Bluetooth communication module. The Bluetooth communication module has a Bluetooth master CPU to control Bluetooth communication, and is connected with a Bluetooth communication chip to transmit and receive Bluetooth-based packets. Thus, the embedded Bluetooth module can be used to connect the electronic device that includes a ZigBee module to carry out transmission of NFC signals.

Claims

1. A near field communication (NFC) device, more particularly, to a device capable of near field communication by using ZigBee and Bluetooth communication modules, the NFC device at least comprising:

a ZigBee communication module, a Bluetooth communication module, a signal conversion/transmission circuit and a power supply circuit, wherein;

the ZigBee communication module includes a master central processing unit (CPU) capable of processing N-Fi communication protocol, identifying and enabling ZigBee communication, and the master CPU is connected with a communication chip that can transmit or receive ZigBee-based information packets;

the ZigBee communication module is equipped with a ZigBee memory that can temporarily store ZigBee-based information packets that have been processed, transmitted or received and delete these information packets after processing;

the Bluetooth communication module includes a master Bluetooth CPU that can control processing of Bluetooth communication, and this master Bluetooth CPU is connected with a Bluetooth communication chip capable of sending or receiving Bluetooth-based information packets;

in addition, the Bluetooth communication module is equipped with a Bluetooth memory that can temporarily store Bluetooth-based information packets processed, transmitted or received and delete these information packets after processing;

the signal conversion/transmission circuit is used to process internal transmission of information packets inside the ZigBee and Bluetooth communication modules;

and the power supply circuit is electrically connected between the ZigBee and Bluetooth communication modules, and is a power supply unit that can provide electricity to the Bluetooth and ZigBee communication modules as needed.

2. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth and ZigBee communication modules are respectively equipped with display components capable of indicating information transmission and displaying transmission status of information packets in the Bluetooth and ZigBee communication modules;

the display components may be light emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD) components with display capability.

3. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit may be a power supply unit, which may be a Li-Ion, alkaline or mercury cell that constitutes an independent power supply component.

4. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the NFC device can be integrated into any Bluetooth-enabled electronic device, and the electronic device may be a PC, notebook PC, mobile phone, PDA mobile phone, on-board unit or any other electronic product.

5. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the NFC device constitutes an NFC network that can send information packets actively or receive information packets passively within its communication range, and such wireless communication network can communicate with at least seven NFC devices or electronic devices with the ZigBee communication module simultaneously.

6. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the contents of the N-Fi communication protocol include at least a 6-byte source IP code, a 6-bytedestination IP code, a 2-byte pan ID code, a 1-byte sequence number code, a 2-byte continue ID code, a 1-byte object ID length code, an object ID code.

7. The NFC device according to claim 6, wherein the contents of the N-Fi communication protocol further include an object content code.

8. The NFC device according to claim 7, wherein the number of bytes of the object content depends on the functions of the object ID code and sequence number code.

9. The NFC device according to claim 6, wherein the number of bytes of the object ID code depends on the object ID length.

10. The NFC device according to claim 6, wherein the 6-byte source IP code included in the contents of the N-Fi communication protocol is used as the unique ID code for the NFC device that sends the information packet or for the source of the information packet;

the 6-byte destination IP code is used to identify the device or destination to which the information packet is sent, or the device or destination that receives the information packet;

the unique ID code is required to be consistent with the destination IP code.

11. The NFC device according to claim 10, wherein the way to transmit information packets is applicable to near field life information sharing system, near field chat and dating system, near field online gaming system and near field short message springboard sending system.

12. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein a preset 6-byte packet is stored in the master CPU, so that the ZigBee memory will read this 6-byte packet in the master CPU as the unique ID code for the NFC device as it is powered on.

13. The NFC device according to claim 1, wherein the NFC device receives and transmits information packets internally and externally in accordance with its receiving and transmitting process.